| Terms | |
|---|---|
| Sensei | instructor or teacher ('one who has been before') |
| Senpai | assistant instructor or senior |
| Rei | bow - an expression of courtesy and respect |
| Sensei ni rei | bow to teacher (ni - 'towards') |
| Otagai ni rei | bow to fellow students (otagai - 'mutual') |
| Shomen ni rei | bow to front (shomen) of dojo (sometimes a shrine or altar to old masters) |
| Seiza | the command to kneel ('sit correctly') |
| Kiritsu | the command to stand up |
| Mokuso | meditation (to clear the mind) |
| Mokuso yame | end of meditation |
| Kiai | literally 'spirit unite' - a focus of 'ki' energy, often with an audible shout |
| Kihon | core essentials, basics |
| Kata | forms, pattern of techniques |
| Kumite | partner work, meeting or grappling hands |
| Arigato; domo arigato; domo arigato gozaimashta |
'arigato' - thanks; 'domo arigato - my humble thanks; 'domo arigato gozaimashta' - more formal 'thank you for what you have done' |
| Numbers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - Ichi | 2 - Ni | 3 - San | 4 - Shi | 5 - Go |
| 6 - Roku | 7 - Shichi | 8 - Hachi | 9 - Ku | 10 - Ju |
| Areas | |
|---|---|
| jodan | face area, or upper |
| chudan | area from belt to the neck, or middle |
| gedan | area from belt downwards, or lower |
| Commands | |
|---|---|
| Yoi | attention or assume ready position |
| Hajime | start |
| Mawatte | turn or about turn |
| Yame | finish - return to yoi position in kata |
| Enoy | relax - after yame |
| Tachi - stances | |
|---|---|
| Zenkutsu dachi | front stance (front knee bent) |
| Kokutsu dachi | back stance (back knee bent) |
| Kiba dachi | horse-riding stance |
| Neko-ashi dachi | cat-leg stance |
| Kosa dachi | cross-legged stance |
| Fudo dachi | immoveable stance |
| Uke - blocking (or receiving) techniques | |
|---|---|
| Age uke | rising block - jodan |
| Soto uke | outside block (arm moves inwards) - chudan |
| Uchi uke | inside block (arm moves outwards) - chudan |
| Shuto uke | knife hand block |
| Gedan barai | lower level sweep |
| Juji uke | cross block |
| Nagashi uke | sweeping block |
| Otoshi uke | downward block |
| Haishu uke | back of the hand block |
| Morote uke | augmented block |
| Osae uke | pressing block |
| Haiwan uke | forearm block |
| Keri - kicking techniques | |
|---|---|
| Ashi | leg |
| Mae geri | front kick |
| Yoko geri keage | side snap/rising kick (using outside edge of foot) |
| Yoko geri kekomi | side thrust kick (using heel or flat of foot) |
| Mawashi geri | roundhouse kick |
| Ushiro geri | back kick (kick to rear using heel) |
| Mikazuki geri | crescent kick |
| Fumikomi geri | stamping kick |
| Tsugi ashi | shuffling step (tsugi is 'in sequence') |
| Kin geri | groin kick (using instep) |
| Tobi geri | jumping kick |
| Tsuki - punching | |
|---|---|
| Oi zuki | punch on leading-leg side with step ('chasing punch') |
| Gyaku zuki | reverse punch |
| Sanbon zuki | three punches |
| Kizame zuki | jab punch |
| Choku zuki | straight punch |
| Kage zuki | hook punch |
| Yama zuki | mountain (山) punch |
| Morote zuki | double fist punch |
| Te waza, ude waza - other hand and arm techniques | |
|---|---|
| Haito | ridge hand |
| Taisho | heel of palm |
| Haishu | back of hand |
| Shuto | sword (edge of) hand |
| Nukite | spear hand |
| Empi | elbow strike |
| Tetsui | hammer fist |
| Uraken | back of fist |